This document discusses the key roles and responsibilities of educational leaders. It covers six main areas: 1) vision and goal setting, where leaders facilitate development and implementation of a shared vision and goals to improve student achievement; 2) instructional practice and professional development, where leaders oversee curriculum, instruction, assessment, teacher performance and evaluation, and facilitate professional learning; 3) learning environment and culture, where leaders develop an instructional climate that promotes engagement and achievement; 4) relationships and partnerships, where leaders build connections with families and communities; 5) strategic resourcing, where leaders secure and allocate resources to meet student and community needs; and 6) references used in the document.

1. EDU8881:
Leadership in
Education
Assignment 1:
Educational Leadership Group Work

2. O Andree Goodyer
O Sandra Hayward
O Stephanie Shaw
O Arapine Walker
O Ruth Lyden
O John Rutherford

3. Leadership in Education is:
Educational Leaders are committed and dedicated to
positively influencing the learning and achievement for
all students (Cardno, 2012)

5. VISION & GOAL SETTING
One of the key activities of educational leadership is to facilitate the
development and implementation of a shared vision from which comes clear
expectations and goals to improve student achievement (Bush, 2011).
“This dimension is about the exercise of leadership through the setting and
communicating of goals for teacher and student learning (Robinson, Hohepa &
Lloyd, 2009, p. 40).”
“Leadership needs to be proactively directed towards a common goal of
establishing the school as a high-performing institution where high levels of
student achievement and learning are normalized (Bishop, 2011, p. 29).”
“Defining the school’s mission is, then a dynamic process requiring cooperation
to construct a workable vision and reflexive thinking to keep the mission clear
and honest (Weber, 1996 p. 260).”

6. INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE &
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The effective implementation of the curriculum by teachers
through teaching and learning programmes is the clearest
way of realising the school’s mission (Weber, 1996). The
effective school leader must be involved with teachers in
ensuring quality learning for all students. Educational
leaders are accountable for planning, coordinating and
evaluating teaching and teaching programmes.

7. INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE &
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Educational leader’s role includes overseeing:
Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Ensuring curriculum programming is linked and aligned with classroom instructional programmes.
(Weber, 1996) and “Student progress is monitored and assessment results used to improve
teaching.” (Robinson et. al., 2009, p. 42).
Teacher Performance and Evaluation
“Effective principals work relentlessly to improve achievement by focussing on the quality of
instruction.” (The WallaceFoundation, 2012, p. 10). They have high expectations and encourage
and support teachers to “practice their profession in an exemplary way (pushing for continuous
improvement)” (Sergiovanni, as cited in Weber, 1996, p. 254).
Educational leaders through direct or indirect (Cardno, 2012, p. 25) means, have “involvement in
the support and evaluation of teaching through regular classroom visits and provision of formative
and summative feedback to teachers...oversight of curriculum through school-wide coordination
across classes and year levels and alignment to school goals.” (Robinson et. al., 2008, p. 656).
The Wallace Foundation (2012), support this view stating, “...principals intent on promoting
growth in both students and adults spend time in classrooms (or that someone who’s qualified
does), observing and commenting on what’s working well and what is not.”,(Wallace Foundation,
2012, p. 11) they go on to identify they intensify their contact with teachers through, “on-going
and informal interactions with teachers”(ibid).
Weber (1996) suggests that the instructional leader needs to be able to indicate priorities, provide
support and advise for the improvement of class teaching and teaching programmes.

8. INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE &
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Facilitating opportunities for teachers to engage in formal and informal
professional learning. “This set of leadership practices has a very
educationally significant effect on student outcomes (Robinson,
Hohepa & Lloyd, 2009, p. 42). Making participation and even
leadership, accessible acknowledges that teacher’s contributions are
powerful in improving the instructional program (Weber, 1996, p. 263).
“Recent research suggests that providing teachers with time for
professional development can address the three problems cited so far:
burnout, a lack of fulfilling work, and the need for professional
collaboration (Weber, 1996, p. 270).”
“Associated with effective professional communities is a strong sense
of collective responsibility and accountability for student achievement
and well-being (Robinson, Hohepa & Lloyd, 2009, p. 42).”

9. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
CULTURE & TONE
One of the key functions of leading teaching and learning is developing
an instructional climate that promotes engagement in learning and
achievement (The Wallace Foundation, 2012). “Effective principals
ensure that their schools allow both adults and children to put learning
at the center of their daily activities (The Wallace Foundation, 2012,
p.6).”
Creating a learning centered community involves the creation of a safe,
orderly and systematic environment and ensuring that attitude of
teachers is positive, open, supportive receptive to learning. “The
attitudes that students form about academic learning come, at least in
part, from the adults in the school (Weber, 1996, p. 263). ”

10. RELATIONSHIPS & PARTNERSHIPS
Robinson, V., Hohepa, M & Lloyd, C. (2009) state: School leaders
need to build educationally powerful connections with families,
whanau, and communities through teaching … and school home
relationships. The role of leadership in making such connections is
most important and such connections can have large positive
effects on the academic and social outcomes of students.
Russell Bishop (2011) suggests that effective leadership aims to
engage parents, whanau and community in a way that addresses
their aspirations for the education of their children.
Ministry of Education (2008) states that principals enhance student
learning through strengthening partnerships and networks …
building strong relationships with key stakeholders: trustees,
parents, whanau and local organisations.

11. STRATEGIC RESOURCING
Today’s Educational Leaders have a wide and varied role. The elements of
Strategic Resourcing have become a large part of the day to day running of
any Educational Institution. Strategic resourcing infers that resources
(material, intellectual and human) are secured and allocated to meet the
needs of the school and the wider community. The organisational and
managerial responsibilities undertaken by Principals and senior leaders
influence students, their learning and their Whanau.
“To get the job done effective leaders need to make good use of the
resources at hand. They have to be good managers.”
(The Wallace Foundation, 2012, p.12)
“When identifying and obtaining resources, leaders in high-performing
schools:
-use clear criteria that are aligned to pedagogical and philosophical
purposes;
-ensure sustained funding for pedagogical priorities.”
(Robinson, Hohepa, & Lloyd, 2009, p.41)

12. REFERENCES
Bishop, R. (2011). How effective School Leaders reduce educational disparities. In J.Robertson & H.
Timperley (Eds.), Leadership and learning (pp. 27 – 40). London: Sage.
Cardno, C. (2012). Managing Effective Relationships in Education. London: Sage. Ministry of Education.
(2008).
Kiwi Leadership for Principals: Principals as Educational Leaders. Wellington: New Zealand Ministry of
Education.
Robinson, V., Hohepa, M. & Lloyd, C. (2009). School leadership and student outcomes: identifying what
works and why. Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration [BES]. Wellington: New Zealand Ministry of Education.
The Wallace Foundation (2012). The school principal as leader: Guiding schools to better teaching and
learning perspectives: The Wallace Foundation.
Weber, J. (1996). Leading the instructional programme. In S. C. S. P. K. Piele(Ed.), School Leadership:
Handbook for excellence (pp. 253-278). University of Origan: Clearinghouse on Educational Management.